text: In the United States, magic pipe cases often attract large fines for shipping lines, and prison sentences for crew. Cases are often brought to light by whistle blowers, including a 2016 case involving Princess Cruises, which resulted in a record US$40 million fine. In April 2021 a ship engineer on the Zao Galaxy, an oil tanker, was convicted of intentionally dumping oily bilge water in February 2019 and submitting false paperwork in an attempt to conceal the crime. The engineer may receive a substantial prison sentence and fine. The ship operator was fined US$1.65 million and ordered to "implement a comprehensive Environmental Compliance Plan."
  On older OWS systems bypass pipes were fitted with regulatory approval. These approved pipes are no longer fitted on newer vessels.
  In some serious emergencies ships crews are allowed to discharge untreated bilge water overboard, but they need to declare these emergencies in the ships records and oil record book. Unregistered discharges violate the MARPOL 73/78 international pollution control treaty.